7 ms·

Gamergate Shows Tech Needs Far Better Algorithms

10 points by ijk 12y ago

jeffgreco 12y ago
Gamergate is insanely obnoxious, but I'm curious exactly what functionality the author wants out of these social networks. Are Twitter and Facebook supposed to ban people who tweet "#FeministsAreUgly"?
- DanBC 12y ago
  No one cares if anyone posts a #FeministsAreUgly hashtag. What people actually have to read are things like: "I'd do a lot worse than rape you. I've just got out of prison and would happily do more time to see you berried [sic]. #10feetunder." "I will find you, and you don't want to know what I will do when I do. You're pathetic. Kill yourself. Before I do. #Godie." Caroline Criado Perez was not complaining about one or two people sending a few dozens of messages that were a bit mean. She was inundated with thousands of messages, from many people, threatening sexual violence and death. One man was sending 50 messages per hour, over about 12 hours. Another woman sent hundreds of messages. Perez's "crime"? She campaigned to have a woman on British banknotes after the Bank of England phased out Elizabeth Fry on the £5 - leaving no women on the banknotes.
j2kun 12y ago
What tech needs are better models of user intention, which could admit algorithms or allow one to prove the hardness of algorithmically doing something. You can't ask for an algorithm if you can't rigorously define the problem.
camperman 12y ago
"This rage-ful, over-entitled, Internet-connected fraternity of kids share one core skill: playing games. Little wonder, then, they have proved so expert at driving a toxic hellbrew of misogyny into the mainstream media — and all over social media — by gaming popular online channels using a sophisticated playbook of disruption." So many lies and misrepresentations in such a short space. GamerGate has nothing to do with misogyny, it's about ethics in game journalism. There has been almost NO coverage of the other side by the mainstream media so if there's any toxic hellbrew in there, it's been carried by the anti-GG people. GamerGate stands for dialogue, inclusivity, ethics and transparency because of the reprehensible behaviour of some game journalists and individuals connected with them. There is absolutely no evidence connecting the movement with death threats made and even if there was, you cannot judge the core by the fringe. If that were true then we could judge the entire anti-GG side by Zoe Quinn who is a manipulative, hypocritical sociopath who has done a great deal of harm to women in gaming. And as for gaming online channels? It works both ways.
- smacktoward 12y ago
  > GamerGate has nothing to do with misogyny, it's about ethics in game journalism Which is why the targets are overwhelmingly women, I'm sure. > There has been almost NO coverage of the other side by the mainstream media People tend not to be interested overmuch in hearing what the side brandishing the rape and death threats thinks. > GamerGate stands for dialogue, inclusivity, ethics and transparency I have never seen the causes of "inclusivity" or "dialogue" furthered by threats of physical violence. > because of the reprehensible behaviour of some game journalists and individuals connected with them [citation needed] > There is absolutely no evidence connecting the movement with death threats made Well, except for how the death threats keep landing on people who are at the top of GG's list of targets. What an incredible coincidence. > Zoe Quinn who is a manipulative, hypocritical sociopath Gosh, I cannot possibly understand how anyone could think GG is misogynistic or disrespectful, when you are always so careful to use measured, even-handed language.
  - ASneakyFox 12y ago
    The crazy death threat people are 4channers. They're not actual people concerned about video game journalism. The real problem is people don't realize that Anyone can call themself a gamer gate activist, or a feminist, or anonymouse, or al quada.. They don't need to have any kind of affiliation or share any views. and this happens online more than in person due to only having a virtual presence.
    - ijk 12y ago
      One might suggest that a movement that refuses to police itself is deliberately courting such plausible deniability. [1] Or one might mention all of the people with documented links to both harassment and the hashtag.[2] > They're not actual people concerned about video game journalism. I agree with you! Pity that so many of them seem to keep saying that they are concerned with journalism, instead of just admitting what they are doing. [1] https://storify.com/a_man_in_black/gamergate-and-harassment https://storify.com/a_man_in_black/gamergate-and-harassment [2] https://storify.com/a_man_in_black/gamergate-is-a-misogy https://storify.com/a_man_in_black/gamergate-is-a-misogy

10 points by ijk 12y ago

Gamergate is insanely obnoxious, but I'm curious exactly what functionality the author wants out of these social networks. Are Twitter and Facebook supposed to ban people who tweet "#FeministsAreUgly"?

DanBC 12y ago
No one cares if anyone posts a #FeministsAreUgly hashtag. What people actually have to read are things like: "I'd do a lot worse than rape you. I've just got out of prison and would happily do more time to see you berried [sic]. #10feetunder." "I will find you, and you don't want to know what I will do when I do. You're pathetic. Kill yourself. Before I do. #Godie." Caroline Criado Perez was not complaining about one or two people sending a few dozens of messages that were a bit mean. She was inundated with thousands of messages, from many people, threatening sexual violence and death. One man was sending 50 messages per hour, over about 12 hours. Another woman sent hundreds of messages. Perez's "crime"? She campaigned to have a woman on British banknotes after the Bank of England phased out Elizabeth Fry on the £5 - leaving no women on the banknotes.

j2kun 12y ago

What tech needs are better models of user intention, which could admit algorithms or allow one to prove the hardness of algorithmically doing something. You can't ask for an algorithm if you can't rigorously define the problem.

camperman 12y ago

"This rage-ful, over-entitled, Internet-connected fraternity of kids share one core skill: playing games. Little wonder, then, they have proved so expert at driving a toxic hellbrew of misogyny into the mainstream media — and all over social media — by gaming popular online channels using a sophisticated playbook of disruption." So many lies and misrepresentations in such a short space. GamerGate has nothing to do with misogyny, it's about ethics in game journalism. There has been almost NO coverage of the other side by the mainstream media so if there's any toxic hellbrew in there, it's been carried by the anti-GG people. GamerGate stands for dialogue, inclusivity, ethics and transparency because of the reprehensible behaviour of some game journalists and individuals connected with them. There is absolutely no evidence connecting the movement with death threats made and even if there was, you cannot judge the core by the fringe. If that were true then we could judge the entire anti-GG side by Zoe Quinn who is a manipulative, hypocritical sociopath who has done a great deal of harm to women in gaming. And as for gaming online channels? It works both ways.

smacktoward 12y ago
> GamerGate has nothing to do with misogyny, it's about ethics in game journalism Which is why the targets are overwhelmingly women, I'm sure. > There has been almost NO coverage of the other side by the mainstream media People tend not to be interested overmuch in hearing what the side brandishing the rape and death threats thinks. > GamerGate stands for dialogue, inclusivity, ethics and transparency I have never seen the causes of "inclusivity" or "dialogue" furthered by threats of physical violence. > because of the reprehensible behaviour of some game journalists and individuals connected with them [citation needed] > There is absolutely no evidence connecting the movement with death threats made Well, except for how the death threats keep landing on people who are at the top of GG's list of targets. What an incredible coincidence. > Zoe Quinn who is a manipulative, hypocritical sociopath Gosh, I cannot possibly understand how anyone could think GG is misogynistic or disrespectful, when you are always so careful to use measured, even-handed language.
- ASneakyFox 12y ago
  The crazy death threat people are 4channers. They're not actual people concerned about video game journalism. The real problem is people don't realize that Anyone can call themself a gamer gate activist, or a feminist, or anonymouse, or al quada.. They don't need to have any kind of affiliation or share any views. and this happens online more than in person due to only having a virtual presence.
  - ijk 12y ago
    One might suggest that a movement that refuses to police itself is deliberately courting such plausible deniability. [1] Or one might mention all of the people with documented links to both harassment and the hashtag.[2] > They're not actual people concerned about video game journalism. I agree with you! Pity that so many of them seem to keep saying that they are concerned with journalism, instead of just admitting what they are doing. [1] https://storify.com/a_man_in_black/gamergate-and-harassment https://storify.com/a_man_in_black/gamergate-and-harassment [2] https://storify.com/a_man_in_black/gamergate-is-a-misogy https://storify.com/a_man_in_black/gamergate-is-a-misogy